Guardian
by GypsyLass30
Summary: Hawk of Navarre runs into a mysterious woman, Sailor Pluto, in the City of Jad and learns they both are searching for the same thing but little does he know, she has her own plan and use for the Sword of Mana. Can he really trust her?


**This is just me playing with the thought of Sailor Pluto aka Setsuna being paired up with Hawkeye on his adventure to save the world. I've got so many ideas for this pairing but don't want to continue it unless you wish it of course. I haven't played Secret of Mana in a long time so I might not remember everything. Please enjoy this little chapter and let me know if you wish it to continue. :) Thanks!**

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He slowly went up the steps leading to the deck of the ship. He had been drinking nearly everyday since leaving Navarre in grief over Eagle's death and craving vengeance for those who took his life. He thought about Flamekhan, leader of the guild of thieves in Navarre who was somehow under Isabella's thumb. As of now, they were probably invading the Amazon warriors in Rolante like they had planned that night just before Eagle was murdered. Only Eagle and Hawk had suspected how strange it was that Eagle's father, Flamekhan declared their guild a kingdom. In the eyes of the rest of the members of the guild, it seemed like a wise decision. Navarre was nothing but a desert wasteland and most of the wells had dried up leaving little water for it's natives. It seemed wise to leave for a better place but attacking another fierce kingdom seemed rather foolish. It was hard enough just to reach the kingdom of Rolante but to attack it would take great power and force. They would have to stand up to the wind alone before attacking the castle head on.

Not only did Hawk lose his best friend that night many weeks ago, but he got blamed for his death. Flamekhan, and not even his friends believed him except Nikita; his cat figured friend. Eagle's sister Jessica had tried to convinced herself that Hawk would never kill his best friend but when she confronted Hawk on the matter, hours before his execution, he was forced to remain silent. Isabella had cursed Jessica by giving her a necklace. If Hawk spoke of anything he learned about Isabella, the necklace would choke her until she couldn't breathe anymore. He had to let Jessica think he murdered her brother. Nikita broke him out of prison and led him down a hidden path that led back to Nikita's home and gave Hawk what he needed before he would have to run away like the coward he had to be.

"What about Jessica? I can't just leave her alone with that witch around."

"I think you'll do her more harm if you stay bro," Nikita had said. He rest a hand on Hawk's shoulder. "I'll keep watch over her. I think I know someone who can break the curse on Jessica though."

Hawk raised his head impatiently. "Who? Tell me!"

"The Priest of Light in the holy city of Wendal. He'll know what to do, trust me bro. Leave the troubles here with me."

Hawk started silent. He was still in shock over Eagle's death and hated that Isabella was going to get away with everything. He would still have to leave this place as a traitor.

"It's an escape! Hawk has escaped!" One of the guards yelled from outside.

"Hurry bro! Go!" Nikita rushed him. "You stay you'll end up caught. Leave now and fight another day!"

Hawk nodded. "Thanks Nikita...for everything."

"Go!"

Hawk had to fight his way through out of Navarre having to fight his own friends. It seemed like everyone had been brainwashed or turned against him and wanted him dead. Once he braved the desert land at night, he was able to sneak upon the ship he was on now and leave his homeland behind. They were now arriving to the Castle City of Jad after weeks of rolling over the sea.

Hawk stepped onto the dock closing his eyes and inhaling the fresh air. There was so much moisture in the air compared to the wasted desert land he came from. The ocean was bluer than the sky and more alive than the receding shoreline back home. He turned seeing the docks in view and breathed in relief. "Finally," he whispered to himself. "I'm one step closer to vengeance and freeing Jessica."

Once the ship finally docked, Hawk started to pass the captain. He gave a pathetic wave. "Thanks for the lift."

"A word of caution," the old man grunted before Hawk walked down the ramp. "The beasts now control this city. It looks like you're stuck here. They haven't been letting anyone in or out of this city. Keep a low profile though and they shouldn't bother you."

"Great," Hawk uttered to himself. "Thanks for the warning."

He started to walk down the ramp before a cloaked figure cut him off. "Hey watch it!" Hawk yelled bitterly. They had picked up the passenger along the way but Hawk had thought little of the being. The cloaked figure never showed his face and was rarely seen throughout the trip.

The cloaked figure didn't stopped and kept on walking like he hadn't heard Hawk which only made him angrier. Hawk clenched his fists ready to start a fight until he remembered the captain's warning about the beasts and keeping a low profile. He cursed under his breath but walked down the ramp and followed the rest of the passengers into the city.

"We, the warriors of the beast kingdom now control this city," a beastman announced to the newcomers, "Do not interfere and we will do you no harm."

The new passengers just kept their heads down and went their way. Hawk stood in the middle of the city examining his new environment. There were beastmen on every corner watching the streets and others on the walls surrounding the city glaring with black beady eyes and a permanent frown. He walked down the city streets trying to find his way out before he saw the gates leading to the outside world. Of course, beasts were guarding that too. He approached the gate with his head held high and started to walk towards them daring them to stop him. "Low profile? I'm not about to let some animals stop my journey."

"Hey you!" One of the beastmen roared. "No one is to leave or enter the city. Get back!"

"Go to hell," Hawk uttered nonchalantly.

"What did you say?" The beast roared. He got in front of Hawk and clutched his claws around his neck choking him. "Consider this your warning fool," he picked Hawk off the ground and threw him against the stone wall next to the gate. The last thing he remembered was hearing the beastmen cackle. "Get him off the street." Then he blacked out.

Hawk awoke a few hours later on a bed. He sat up groaning clutching his head that had hit the wall and his vision blurred. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood still clutching his head but quickly misjudged the strength he had at the moment. He feel over towards his knees and onto the cot next to him where another person was sleeping. Worst of all, it was a woman.

"Hey! What the- "the purple haired lass shriek. She pulled her covers aside to see Hawk nearly touching noses with her. She shrieked again and slapped him across the face. "Get away! What are you trying to do?"

She kicked him off as he fell hard against the floor. He cursed. He sat up blowing a strand of his dark hair aside. "Honey, don't flatter yourself. I just tripped is all."

She scoff placing her hands on her hips. "Don't you dare call me honey!"

"Where am I?"

"The city inn, of course."

The owner of the inn came up the steps to see Hawk sitting on the floor and the lass standing before him glaring down at him. "Is everything all right, Miss Angela?"

"This guy is a creep!" She pointed at him and crossed her arms looking away.

Hawk got to his feet rolling his eyes shouldering pass her. "What a princess."

He was about to speak to the owner before a pillow was hurled into the back of his head followed by a girlish, "Hmph!" Hawk flattened his brow clenching his fists as the pillow fell on the ground. "How much is it for my stay?" He uttered trying not to lose his temper.

"Oh don't worry about it," the owner shrugged sadly. "I can't make a profit with these beasts around. I suggest you be more careful. You're lucky you're able to still stand."

Hawk scoffed. "Those bastards? I'd like to see them try to kill me. Anywhere I can get a good drink?"

The owner let out a hopeless sigh. "Try the city pub."

Hawk said nothing more and left the inn behind. He stepped outside to see night had fallen and the streets were bare. Even the beastmen weren't around like they were earlier that day. He walked down the city square until he saw the pub sign and entered the building. It was a lot more cheery in there than the city had been even in the daylight. The room was filled with lit candles, lamps and including a roaring fireplace and a few older grumps. As he entered the room, the warmth and inviting light was sucked away it seemed when he laid eyes on a beastman sitting at a table drinking ale. He sighed and approached the bar slamming a few coins on the counter's surface. "I'll have a mug of ale."

"Sure thing," the bartender muttered.

At the corner of his eye, Hawk noticed the cloaked figure from abroad the ship he was on. He sat in the dark corner of the room with no food or drink. He couldn't tell if the man was just sleeping or staring into space. Hawk didn't think to much further about him. His thoughts went back to his dear friend Eagle and Jessica. He gulped down his drink and slammed it down on the counter. "I swear Eagle, I'll avenge you're death. And Jessica...I'll free you and keep you safe. Just like Eagle would have," he whispered to himself. His shoulders tense when the beastman shoved aside his chair suddenly and staggered across the room clearly having had too many drinks. He relaxed when the beastman walked passed him and towards the cloaked figure. Hawk's lips curled and he tried not to chuckle. "You're going to get what you deserve," he uttered still holding a grudge against the cloaked figure for cutting him off at the dock.

"Hey you!" The beastman slurred his words at the cloak figured. The cloak figure raised his head at the beast. The beast smiled. "Now a pretty lass like yourself shouldn't be all alone. How about some company?"

'Lass?' Hawk couldn't help but glance at the two now.

The beast snarled impatiently grabbing her by her wrist and pulled her out of her seat causing her to tip over her table. Her hood was tossed back revealing a woman with long emerald hair and garnet colored eyes. "You're as beautiful as you smell," he cackled stroking his talon down her cheek.

Hawk tickled his fingers around the hilt of his dagger wanting now nothing more than to stick it into the perverted beast. He quickly finished the rest of his drink and slammed it against the counter surface before turning to face the two. The bang from his cup hitting the counter got the beast's attention and he turned to face Hawk still holding the woman's arm. "What do you want, boy?"

"Let the girl go. You aren't exactly her... type," he spat.

She cried in pain when the beast jerked her closer. She suddenly pulled from within her cloak a staff and struck it across the drunken beast's face. The beast let out a snarl gripping his talons around her neck and threw her across the room right into Hawk. He caught her but both went down slamming against the ground. The beast roared and ran towards them raising its claws and showing its fangs.

"Look out!" Hawk yelled. The woman jumped to her feet raising her staff and catching his claws against it. Hawk was stunned by her strength but saw it wasn't going to last. He jumped to his feet reaching in his vest swiftly pulling a small throwing knife and tossed it at the beast. It went right into one of the beastman's eyes. The beast tossed its head back hollering in pain clutching his wounded eye allowing the woman to throw his weight off her staff. She stood there panting holding her staff ready to continue the fight. Hawk had a different idea. He grabbed her wrist pulling her behind him. "Come on!" He shoved the doors open running into the night.

"Let go of me!" She yelled pulling her hand back as they entered the city square.

Hawk turned to face her impatiently. "Hey I just saved your li-" he stopped speaking when he saw the beast jump through the pub doors snarling viciously. Once he entered the moonlight, his form changed. He fell over all four paws and his fangs grew longer from his snout before he charged the two. "Run!" Hawk yelled. For a moment he didn't know where to run. Walls surrounded the city and everyway was blocked off. The woman took off in a different direction than Hawk towards the gate leading into the forest. Hawk stopped running and saw the wounded beast chasing after her. "What are you doing? Its blocked off!" He yelled. He growled and went after her knowing she would need his help again.

She ran towards the gate seeing two other beasts that had attack Hawk now in their more beastly form. They snarled and also charged her. She raised her staff preparing to defend herself before the beast behind her jumped and dug its talons into the back in her cloak pinning her to the ground as her staff rolled away from her. It was about to impale its fangs into her neck before another knife sliced into the beast's throat. "Get away from her!" Hawk roared and pulled his daggers from his sides. The beast gagged on its blood spewing it out from his mouth but charged Hawk anyway and jumped to pin Hawk down. Hawk, however, met the beast halfway jumping and kicked the beast in the air throwing it back against the ground. He raised his daggers plunging the daggers into the beast's heart and twisting the blade.

The two beasts snarled and lashed at the woman but she rolled across the ground landing on her feet and gripping her staff to fight with as the beasts made another attempt to attack. She swung her staff across slamming it across the beast's face and kicked her long leg upwards to fight off the second beast. Hawk stood from the beast he killed surprised how well this woman could fight. He charged the closes beast so she didn't have to fight two alone and sliced his daggers swiftly across the beast's side spilling his insides. He wrapped his arms around its neck slitting its throat and twisting its neck breaking it instantly. It fell to the ground. The woman raised her staff quickly losing patience as red beams began to shoot forth from it. "Death scream!" She hollered as a ball of energy shot forth from her staff plunging right into the last beast. The beast seemed to dissolve within the energy thrust from her staff and howled in pain before it finally dissolved into the air. Hawk's eyes had widened from the sudden power she released. She turned to face him with a frown. "Speak of this to no one. If you wish to escape, now would be the time." She said and walked through the gate. Hawk stood there for a few moments longer before he finally shook his head and ran after her. "Hey wait!" He caught up to her. "You owe me an explanation! Especially after I saved your life. I haven't even heard a 'thank you.' And what were you thinking running off towards a guarded gate of beasts?'"

"It's better than running towards a guarded castle of beasts," she said.

Hawk shook his head and shrugged. "Okay, point taken. So what's your name? I'm Hawkeye but you can just call me Hawk."

She stopped turning to face him. "You don't need my name and I didn't need yours. Follow me to Astoria if you must but that's where our paths will separate." With that she turned her back to Hawk and continued down the narrow forest path towards the Lakeshore village of Astoria. Hawk reluctantly followed not knowing his way around the area. To him, this place was completely foreign.


End file.
